Welcome back to After the Ashes, a Beautiful Altadena podcast where we dig into what’s really happening in our foothill community — from rebuilding after disaster to rebuilding trust. In Episode 15, we unpack a full slate of local headlines and hard questions:

Election season brought us decisions on Prop 50 and new faces for the Altadena Town Council — but what do these results actually mean?

EFRU’s latest findings on post-remediation contamination have many homeowners — especially renters, seniors, and those without funds — facing troubling realities. We break down the press conference, media coverage, and what it all means moving forward.

The Dawes benefit concert for the Altadena Foundation for Rebuilding (through PCF) sounds inspiring — but community voices are asking: where exactly are these dollars going?

Plus, we talk SB9, finger-pointing, and the county’s quiet push toward densification under the banner of “growth.”

And before we wrap — our Beautiful Altadena in person events are making a slow return. Don’t miss our Beautiful Altadena Friendsgiving Pie Night at Adelaide, November 23! RSVP through the Eventbrite link shared in our group and bring your favorite pie to share.

This episode’s small business spotlight shines on EZ Halal Market — part of the Hen’s Teeth Plaza at Los Robles and Woodbury (@ezhalalmarket), alongside dym Books & Boba (hosting tons of community events, including Mahjong Mondays, @dympasadena) and Kings Breakfast & Burgers (@kings_bnb). Follow them all on Instagram, and catch more of their opening stories we wrote last year on our Beautiful Altadena Substack.

After the fires, after the headlines — we’re still here, still asking, and still rebuilding.